Interviews December 2025 | I KNOW JERRY FROM TORONTO

Who was in the December 2025 box?

We couldn’t be prouder of the result in our box from Tokyo (JP),
Experience his meticulous art of coaxing something extraordinary out of a simple green bean in Hohengoeft (FR), meeting far more than a coffee roaster in Amsterdam (NL/CO) and a new introduction of a mutual friend in Berlin (DE).

Tokyo - Japan

Shiori Tamura

Jerry spotted this illustrator’s work on a Miche Coffee box from an earlier feature.
With two kids giving it the thumbs up, we couldn’t be prouder of the result in our box!
It’s totally different, and we’re here for it!

We’d love to hear about your background and what inspired your journey as an illustrator.

Working as a graphic designer, I also pursue illustration as a side activity.
My journey to becoming an illustrator began simply because I've loved drawing since childhood.
I believe creating illustrations also hones my design skills.

Can you describe the style of your illustrations and what inspires it?

I draw things from everyday life, things that catch my eye.
Naturally, I find myself drawing coffee, cats, dogs, and such more often.

How is life in Tokyo?
And what does your city have to offer for people like Jerry?

Life in Tokyo is hectic.
But there are so many coffee shops,
I'm sure you'll find a favorite.

You worked for other coffee roasters before; did you like it?

Of course!
I was thrilled to get my first coffee job.

Do you like specialty coffee?
How do you make your coffee at home?

Yes!
I absolutely love coffee and drink it every day.
When I make it at home, I grind the beans in a mill and brew it using a drip filter.

One artist, dead or alive, for a collaboration; who would you choose and why?

I don't have anyone specific in mind, but since I love music, I'd like to collaborate with a musician.

"Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.
I'm looking forward to seeing how my work has been incorporated into the collaboration.
Let's keep working together!"

Hohengoeft - France

Renart

His curiosity, those deep dives into origin stories, roast profiles, and the perfect extraction, is what draws us back.
We’ve collaborated with Renart a few times already, and we had to do it again just to experience his meticulous art of coaxing something extraordinary out of a simple green bean.

Xavier, tell us about your journey into the specialty coffee world and what inspired you to start Renart.

First I want to open a Coffee shop for sharing and I discovered coffee offer way more than just chocolaty and nutty tastes.
I know what I like and taste and start Renart to offer the best of coffees.

What makes Renart different from other roasters in France/Europe?

The sourcing and roasting.
I source often too many coffees for filter and bring clarity and fruitiness with special roast.

How do you balance quality with accessibility for your customers?

It's tricky and more with the Coffee index grows.
For espresso you can offer blend with Brazil to lower the price.
It will bring more body and balance and still very good if you adding fruity coffee like Kenyan of Ethiopian coffee.
For filter we offer more 200gr or 150gr to be more accessible.
The quality will be ever the most important thing.

What's next for Renart in the coming year?

News coffees direct from Farm : honey Geisha, orange bourbon washed, Chiroso lemon leaves infused.
Coffees in Offices.
Thinking of open a Coffee shop.

What's the most memorable reaction you've gotten from a customer?

The coffee can be so fruity.

What's your approach to flavor profiles, and how do you develop them?

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"..."

Amsterdam - The Netherlands/Colombia

Unüma

Filipe is far more than a coffee roaster; he’s a Colombian green-bean importer and an advocate for underrepresented communities.
Oh, and he moonlights as the manager of Colombia’s rising coffee stars 😉Jerry’s had the pleasure of bumping into him a few times already.

Jerry is curious about the story of Unüma coffee.
You’re originally from Colombia right?

Yes, I’m from Bogotá, Colombia.

How did you end up in the Netherlands?

Love brought me to the Netherlands 12 years ago, and along the way, it shaped both my life and the path that eventually led to UNÜMA.

So, besides coffee, what else has your hands full?

Right now, coffee is a big part of my life.
At the same time, I’m learning how to find a healthy balance between my work and my personal life, still a work in progress, but a good one.

Your coffee is currently roasted at Five Ways.
Do you have any plans to open your own roastery?

Not really, UNÜMA has never been about owning a roastery.
It’s about Colombian coffee, collaboration, and showcasing roasters’ talent.
And exciting things are coming: once we open our specialty coffee shop in Amsterdam, we’ll start shining a light on Colombian roasters as well.

Jerry drinks a lot of deca.
Are more people starting to drink decaf?
How do you feel about it?

Absolutely!!
More and more people are embracing decaf, and we love to see it.
For us, decaf is all about choice and quality, not compromise.
Right now, we’re offering a fantastic decaf from Piendamó, Cauca, produced by our superstar Wilton Benítez.
Full of character and beautifully processed.
And this is just the beginning…
More exciting decafs are coming soon.

Can you tell us something about the town/city in Colombia you’re from?

I’m from Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, a city where you can experience all four seasons in one day, sometimes before lunch.
It’s high in the Andes, which means we’re closer to the clouds, the mountains… and coffee.
In Bogotá, people drink “tinto” all day long, which is black coffee, not wine (yes, that still confuses visitors).
We say “ahorita”, a magical word that can mean now, later, or maybe never, and we complain about the city nonstop, but the moment someone else does, we’ll defend it passionately.
It’s chaotic, creative, caffeinated, and deeply inspiring.
Growing up there shaped the way I see coffee today, as something that connects people, cultures, and moments. Very UNÜMA energy.

"Big thanks to Jerry (aka J****n, but we’ll stick to Jerry 😄).
Always a pleasure crossing paths with someone who truly understands coffee, people, and the power of doing things with heart.
Grateful for the kind words, the shared cups, and the conversations that remind us why collaboration matters.
This is just the beginning, more good coffee, more stories, and more love coming.
If you’re curious, take a moment to explore UNÜMA… and always feel free to spread the love!"

Berlin - Germany

ICKPA

Introduced by a mutual friend.

What sparked your interest in coffee roasting?

During the corona lock-down, I started roasting at home.
Just because I didn’t have anything to do and at that point I‘d been working in the coffee industry for about 8 years.
So it was a natural progression!

Are you originally from Germany?

No, I‘m from Japan.
It‘s called Ibaraki (close to Tokyo) but there’s pretty much nothing interesting :p

Explain the approach you use to stay current with new roasting technologies and techniques.

I try to stay updated as much as possible with Technologies through social media.
But roasting itself is taught my my teacher, who‘s a legendary roaster in Denmark called Nobuaki Matsui.

What’s the most hilarious thing that’s happened to you in your coffee career?

Once a customer asked me if I can make her a cappuccino without coffee.

Could you share some details about the coffee that is included in the box?

São Paulo is super cool Brazil and it has so much depth and rich chocolate tone, strawberry and funk…so everyone goes crazy on this one.
It‘s also the only „omni“ roast I have in my portfolio, so it‘s roasted a bit differently from all the other coffees.
You can make espresso out of it, have it with milk or just as filter.
Basically good for everything!
The decaf „Lala Salma“ is fruity decaf, I chose this coffee because it‘s rare to find Rwanda decaf!(at least for me) I like drinking it after dinner.

If a career in coffee was not an option, what job would you be doing?

I think something related to food and kitchen.

“Thank you for checking out my small project!
I hope you enjoy the coffee!"

we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists!